Jay Shetty ON 11 Indoor Activities To Reduce Stress

During this unprecedented time, Jay Shetty reminds us in this ON Purpose episode of the importance of giving ourselves grace.

Making the most of the time we have been given

In a sudden turn of events, many of us have a lot of time on our hands. As with anything in life, it is what we make of it. During this unprecedented time, Jay Shetty reminds us that it is important to give ourselves grace. “It's wrong for us to assume that we're just going to walk right through this; that it’s going to be easy and normal,” said Jay Shetty. “We have to stop judging ourselves. We have to stop feeling guilty. We have to relieve ourselves of trying to be the perfect partner, perfect person, perfect parent right now. You really have to give up that perfectionism.”Mindset is everything. It plays a vital part in a person’s overall health and wellbeing, and right now, maintaining our health is crucial.“I really want you to recognize that if you're taking care of your physical and mental health, you can take on any challenge,” affirmed Jay Shetty. “That's your priority. That's your goal.”

Pushing Past Boredom

With more time on our hands than usual, it’s easy to fall into boredom. Wrestling with boredom is a slippery slope. “We get bored because we don't want to sit with our fears,” Jay Shetty explained. “We don't want to sit with our anxiety. We don't want to sit with our stress because it's uncomfortable.” Jay Shetty believes that we can use this opportunity to let discomfort lead us to growth and change. He encouraged listeners to take an active role in tackling boredom head-on and using extra moments wisely to make the most out of the situation. “These are the moments where some of the greatest things in your life can happen,” he told his listeners.Here are 11 ways that Jay Shetty encourages you to use the extra time you have on your hands.

Sort Photos & Make a Digital Scrapbook

“How many times when you want to show your friend how cute your kid looks or how amazing your holiday was, you have to scroll through photos and you're like, ‘Oh, wait, wait, that's it! No, I think it's before this. When did we go there, babe? When did that happen? Oh, yeah. Oh, no’. And then you can't find it,” said Jay Shetty with a laugh.It’s funny, yet true. Most of us have thousands of photos on our phones and no good way to access or utilize them. Now is the perfect time to remedy that. Jay challenged listeners to take some time to appreciate and organize old photos. Put them in categories and sort them in a way that will make sense for you to find them later. Doing this provides more than just an organizational benefit, however. “Our past can be an opportunity to learn to feel happy, to feel joy, to feel power, to feel passion in your life,” he explained. “That's why creating a virtual scrapbook is such a good idea at this time. What will happen is you uncover some things that you forgot about; memories that you didn't even know you had.”Being able to relive those memories is priceless. As you think through them, they’ll spark conversations - conversations you can have reminiscing with people you can still connect with online.

Reorganize Your Bookshelf

Who knows what hidden gems are waiting on a shelf that has not been cleaned off in a while? Much of the deep learning Jay Shetty did when he was young was a result of searching his father’s bookshelves. “That process of discovery, that treasure hunt, that feeling of uncovering and unraveling the mystery of something that's hidden away, there's some excitement in that,” he said. Go in search of hidden knowledge and organized bookshelves today!

Spring Cleaning & Decluttering

“Cleaning your space will clean your mind,” said Jay Shetty. It sounds simple, but Shetty believes the statement can have a profound effect on health and mindset. It’s hard to escape the reality of what your house looks like when you spend so much time indoors. You may not have control over the health crisis, but you CAN have control over your living space.

Indoor Workouts

Staying active is crucial during this time. Whether you exercise regularly or not, Jay Shetty urged listeners to break up the day with movement. Physical exercise has a positive effect on the body’s endorphins, mental and emotional outlook, and energy level.

Connect

Now is a good time to catch up with people that you haven’t chatted with in a while. For some, human connection is a vital lifeline for people who are lonely or struggling. Make a point to check in with people who might need extra connection right now.“Not all of us are qualified, brave doctors who are on the front lines,” said Jay Shetty. “Not all of us are able to support the world in that way, but we can support the world by staying home. We can also support the world by calling the lonely, calling our loved ones, giving back to those people in need. So call a friend, call an elderly family member, call someone that you know may be struggling at this time.”

Meditate

Meditation is a great way to foster peace and calm in the midst of uncertainty. Jay Shetty is making it easy for everyone to meditate by going live with a daily meditation session for 20 days starting March 20. “Wherever you live in the world, join me to meditate and then work out before or after that,” invited Shetty. “Start building your routine around that meditation so that it becomes an anchor for your other positive habits in the day.”Shetty’s live meditations can be seen on his Facebook page daily at 9:30 AM PDT.

Brainstorm & Dream

Have you ever found yourself wishing you had more time to work on a favorite hobby or passion? Now is the time! “Think of this as a gift of time right now,” said Jay Shetty. “This is a window of opportunity. You may not be able to monetize what you currently do, or you may be struggling with your work situation. This is the chance to create a new strategy in your life; a new career.”Shetty invited listeners to check out his course, Passion to Paycheck. In it, he provides students with a step-by-step roadmap to monetize their passions. It is full of vital information to help students jumpstart living their dreams.“Don't underestimate how much time you have right now to do the research you need to do to build a side hustle; to build a passion business,” he said. “This is your moment. This is your time.”

Online Class or Workshop

There are so many opportunities for learning something new. Use this time wisely to invest in your growth. Shetty urged listeners to devote time to learning a new language, take their business to the next level, or brush up on history. There are many amazing resources available on Great Courses Plus and Udemy, among others. Now is a great time to take advantage of online learning opportunities.

Play

Having time for joy and play during these heavy and uncertain days is crucial. Give your mind a break and play a game. With video conferencing apps like Zoom, game night isn’t impossible. “Set up a zoom and play virtual game nights with people all across the world, your family or friends,” said Jay Shetty. “It's a beautiful way to feel connected. Playing a great game improves your brain function, and it really releases endorphins which reduce your stress in this bored period of time.”

Draw, Paint, or Free Journal

We often underestimate the healing power of being creative during stressful times. Not only does drawing or painting relax and soothe, but the rhythmic movement is also vital for brain function and memory retention. Making space to be creative in some way is vital for mental and emotional health.

Break Out the Camera

Time is on your side. Jay Shetty encouraged listeners to start the blog, YouTube channel, or Instagram account that they’ve always wanted to create. Stop thinking about it and start doing! “My first videos were nothing special, but they got the ball rolling,” he said. The momentum carried him after that. If you wait until everything is “perfect,” you’ll never start. Take the time that’s available and dive in!Making the most of challenging opportunities can lead to some of life’s greatest lessons and joys. Combat boredom with one or more of these 11 ideas. If you do, you’ll have healthy and productive memories of how you spent it.